coolent leak
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
coolent leak
boy, what am I in for now? Last summer I replaced the water pump on my 85 L98. Now I've got a coolent where the intake bolts to the engine right under the thermostat. I was praying it was the thermostat, but it's not. It's right under it. Any advice would be appreciated.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
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Some members of the forum would probably cringe at this suggestion- but just add a bottle of stop leak. If your leak is minor, it will patch it up. If you leak is major, it'll buy you some time till you hafta fix it.
I believe later c4's come with stop leak from the factory (the capsule/pill/tablets you add to the coolant).
I believe later c4's come with stop leak from the factory (the capsule/pill/tablets you add to the coolant).
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,229
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From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
What do I buy, Just regular radiator stop leak? I'm putting up for winter in a week or 2. I'll fix in the spring.
What kind of job is the intake man gasket?
Worse than the waterpump I hope not?
What kind of job is the intake man gasket?
Worse than the waterpump I hope not?
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From: Almost all Skyline Cruises Vettes at Waterside 1-5
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Originally Posted by Joslinm
boy, what am I in for now? Last summer I replaced the water pump on my 85 L98. Now I've got a coolent where the intake bolts to the engine right under the thermostat. I was praying it was the thermostat, but it's not. It's right under it. Any advice would be appreciated.
I suspect it is the intake manifold gasket! You have iron heads and an aluminum intake, separated from each other by a gasket. Iron and aluminum don't peacefully co exist and the gasket takes the beating!IMHO,The "stopleak" is not necessarily going to work since the gasket will continue to deteriorate at an accelerating rate. If you want to try it, it is the Baer pellets. they come six to the plastic card I believe.
If you are handy with tools and have a little time, it isn't a bad job to change it. But it will take time. I think a shop will charge you around $ 300 to do it
Jack
Pro
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 542
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From: Stuck in the 80's
Wow, shop rates must be much lower where you are, they charge nearly $600 for that service around here. I actually used some stop leak in mine when it first started, it lasted several years, probably around 10 thousand miles before it finally blew completely out. I have AL heads though.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 312
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From: Mesa Az
what a coincidence
I noticed my car overheated when I got to work this morning. Looked like thermostat gasket failed. Got a new one at lunch and replaced it when I got home. Still leaking. Must be the intake gasket! Just what I need, another project.
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Melting Slicks
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
I'll definately try the stop leak. If all else fails and I have to change the gasket, it would be a really good time to replace the injectors too I bet.
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Originally Posted by gbody5
Wow, shop rates must be much lower where you are, they charge nearly $600 for that service around here. I actually used some stop leak in mine when it first started, it lasted several years, probably around 10 thousand miles before it finally blew completely out. I have AL heads though.
I had the inevitable leak (aluminum heads) at the rear of the manifold. My local shop did it for $375 including parts. He also does rear wheel bearings for $ 130 plus parts and a great 4 wheel alignmnet here is $ 60.00Send me your vette!
seeya
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Egg Harbor Township NJ
2015 C2 of Year
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10, '14-'15
Originally Posted by Joslinm
boy, what am I in for now? Last summer I replaced the water pump on my 85 L98. Now I've got a coolent where the intake bolts to the engine right under the thermostat. I was praying it was the thermostat, but it's not. It's right under it. Any advice would be appreciated.
So..my cheap fix was to get a coat hanger and cut out a straight section and then flatten one end sort of like a blacksmith thing..so it was wide and flat .
Then I managed to get a wrench on the bolts and found they were lose. I tightened them up
Then I put a "U" shape bend in the flatened end and applied some sticky Permatex gasket sealer in the inside of the bend. I inserted the messy gacked up hanger around the bolt head and smeared the permatex around the bolt to manifold area.
This tool enabled me to seal the area where the weeping was.
That was 3 years ago....It hasn't leaked since. And my 86 has the Carrolle Vortec Supercharger system.
Make sure that the intake bolts are tight. They have a tendency to back out.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Egg Harbor Township NJ
2015 C2 of Year
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Originally Posted by mikey whipreck
I like your fix, Viet Nam Vett
btw, where'd you find that supercharger at?
btw, where'd you find that supercharger at?
He has added a new name to his co...
Blowerworks.. Carroll is was the first to offer Supercharger kits for the vett back in the early Eighties. He's is the only one that offers Gasious Injection with his kits.
Spend some time and read about his systems and why he uses gasious injection. You'll find that everyone else jumped on the band wagon after he offered the Blower kits.
His IMHO is the best for the Vette..
http://www.carrollsupercharging.com/